Most authorities still class the Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner as a sub-species of Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Automolus rubiginosus but several including the South American Classification Committee give it species status. See their comments here. They note that it might even be better placed in the genus Hylocryptus.

It is dark brown above with a dark chestnut tail, rufous underparts with a paler almost pinkish throat.

Jeremy Minn's recording is of the bird in this photo.